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16 vehicles damaged as pavement caves in amid digging in adjoining plot in Mohali
The incident took place at IT City Industrial Area in Sector 83, Mohali, around 12:45 pm when several employees were working in the adjoining plot. As per information, a basement was being constructed for which the digging was done beyond permissible limits, triggering the collapse.
As many as 16 vehicles, including 15 bikes and a car, were damaged after the pavement of a building caved-in due to digging in the adjoining plot in Sector-83 on Wednesday. Fortunately, no one was injured.
The incident took place at IT City Industrial Area in Sector 83, Mohali, around 12:45 pm when several employees were working in the adjoining plot.
As per information, a basement was being constructed for which the digging was done beyond permissible limits, triggering the collapse.
Mohali deputy commissioner (DC) Aashika Jain said a magisterial probe has been marked into the incident.
Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) chief administrator Rajiv Gupta said that a junior engineer (JE) was rushed to the spot to conduct an inquiry. The executive officer (EO) has been asked to serve a show-cause notice to the owner of the plot concerned.
He said that no previous complaint of illegal digging had come to his notice before the incident.
Police have also booked the contractor and management of the under-construction building on charges of negligence and putting lives of others in danger.
SDM Mohali Sarabjit Kaur, deputy superintendent of police Harsimran Singh Bal and Sohana SHO inspector Sumit Mor visited the collapse site and inspected the accident. DSP Harsimran Singh Bal said they have registered an FIR against the contractor and the under construction building management for putting the life of others in danger, negligence and construction beyond permissible limit.
Saksham Arora, an advocate, who runs his office in the adjoining building, said, “We had already given a complaint to the police stating that the contractor was digging the basement beyond permissible limit but before action could be taken, the parking lot portion collapsed.”
Another owner of the office situated in the building, Sanjay Kumar said, “We had hundreds of employees present in the building during the incident. It could have been a disaster if the foundation of the building structure was affected. Thank God that it remained till the parking lot. But the building is still under threat.”
The Mohali administration and police carried out the rescue operation and by evening, the buried car and two-wheelers were excavated out of the debris.
The case has been registered under Section 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others), 268 (public nuisance), 287 (Negligent conduct with respect to machinery) and 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees) of the Indian Penal Code against the plot owner Raman Aggarwal,” said SHO Sumit Mor.
